After 23 years, Duane Taylor back as Pellston varsity football coach

Then again, here is a guy who was always willing to tackle a challenge and when he did, he always found something positive in it.

That, my friends, is what his long career in education and coaching was all about … positive, positive and more positive.

Well, he has a nice little coaching challenge now and everything in his past points to something good coming from it.

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On Monday, Taylor held his first practice as head football coach of the Pellston Hornets.

That was his first interaction as a varsity coach since he stepped down in 1982 … yes, as coach of the Pellston Hornets.

In between, the retired Petoskey High School guidance counselor spent a couple of years as junior varsity coach at Petoskey and one as a varsity assistant at Pellston under Scott Schmalzried.

Other than that, nothing until he became the Pellston Middle School coach three years ago. Taylor went at the task with vigor, and at the end of last season saw the program boost its numbers considerably. The result was a unbeaten five-game season.

So, when Bob Babcock stepped down at the end of last season as varsity coach, guess who appeared to be the logical choice?

''It was interesting and a little strange actually,'' said Taylor after his first practice. ''Some are saying, 'What are you doing?'''

Believe me, he knows what he is doing and he is well aware of the school's football history.

As most area fans also know, there has been many a lean year.

For example, over the past 20 seasons, the Hornets are 41-116-1 with winning seasons only in 1991 (5-4) and 1995 (8-1). During those two decades a lack of players forced the seasons of 1989 and 1998 to be cancelled.

Pellston was 3-6 last season.

Taylor had 17 juniors and seniors for his first day of practice. Maybe more will come out, maybe not, but Taylor said he plans on sticking with the upper classmen throughout the season.

''These juniors and seniors have worked hard to get here and we intend to go with them,'' Taylor said. ''They have worked hard with the weight program and in a leadership program. We have committed to these kids.''

Numbers are higher at the JV level with 22 to 24 players out. That includes solid freshmen from last year's middle school team.

''I like to keep each class intact,'' Taylor said. ''We have some very dedicated players and a good core. We hope to build the program from the base up.''

The decision

Actually, the players who are freshman now who are up from last year's middle school team helped play a part in Taylor's decision to take the job.

''We had some success with a great group of kids,'' Taylor said. ''In part, I'm committed to those kids. They made a commitment to me and this is a way I can pay them back.

''Our goal is to take this program and move it a notch up.''

Taylor remembered the year he helped Schmalzried because it was a struggle just to keep the season afloat. The team went winless and played the final game with just 13 players, but Taylor had great admiration for that team.

''There was a courageous message there,'' he said. ''It was more courageous than an unbeaten team. They knew they were outmanned but went out there every game … that is the kind of thing that touches me.

''We tend to emphasize just the winning, so let's not forget what it is all about and what these young people have to go through.''

The beginning

Taylor began the educational and coaching side of his career at Charlevoix in 1969 before turning his attention to selling insurance.

It didn't take long for him to wish he had stuck with education, so back to school he went, picking up his master's degree at Central Michigan University. From there he landed in Petoskey where he was the JV football coach for a number of years and served as counselor until his retirement in 1990.

In between, he took the head job at Pellston for the first time (1978-82).

''I always liked to build things, create things, make things more positive,'' Taylor said. ''(Pellston) was down and I saw the ad in the Petoskey News-Review. I told a friend 'I believe one man can make a difference' … maybe that says something about me.

''Athletics is probably why I went back to school. Some key people took me under their wing and the rest of my life has been trying to lift kids and encourage them.''

The mentors

Taylor said one of the keys for him was coaching under some great mentors like the late Don Carey at Charlevoix and Barry Aspenleiter at Petoskey.

''They both are in the (Michigan High School) Football Coaches Hall of Fame, so I had some great mentors,'' Taylor said. ''Also, I played under Chuck Alexander at Corunna High School and he was a great coach, a great motivator and creator in football. So, I was very fortunate.''